Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 11

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1997 ASBURY PARK PRESS PAGE All 80 families go home as firefighters contain blazi i 8 WILFORO S. SHAMLIN STAFF WRITER drop it off at the fire station. Dixon and his family were amfM The state Parks Service, which manages Wharton State Forest, closed Mullica Wilderness Camp Site and Lower Forge Wilderness Camp Site because of the proximity of the fire and restricted canoeing in the nearby Mullica River and Batsto River because of the clouds of thick smoke and ash in the area. A decision on whether to reopen the two campsites and the two rivers will be made this morning by Lynn Fleming, superintendent of Wharton State Forest. Canoe rental businesses were advised against sending canoeists into the Mullica River and Batsto River and Forest Fire Service firefighters patrolled to warn those who might have missed the message.

Hundreds of volunteers, including at least two fire squads from Ocean County, the Tuckerton and Par-kertown (Little Egg Harbor Town ship) fire companies, were called on to help fight the fire and provide other emergency services. All fire departments outside Mullica Township, where the fire began, were cleared from duty between 2 to 4 a.m. yesterday, said Carl Wescoat, chief engineer for the Nesco Volunteer Fire Company. Wescoat and his brother, Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Wescoat, were among a four-member crew who watched yesterday afternoon for burning embers that could spark other fires. They were equipped with a 10-wheel firetruck with a water tank and a high-powered pumper that could spit out 1,500 gallons in a minute.

Gary Dixon, 33, an auto mechanic and father of two, offered three bottles of champagne to the firefighters as a token of appreciation, which they politely refused, telling him instead to those evacuated from Totem VillagS on Tuesday. Flames came within feet of the East Lakeview home, nt trenches that the Forest Fire Service dug with a bulldozer held back fire. "They took care of us, I tell that," said a jubilant Dixon. "Ifcjj MULLICA TOWNSHIP Eighty families evacuated from a residential neighborhood were allowed to return to their homes yesterday as firefighters worked to contain a fire at Wharton State Forest. The fire was blamed on a discarded cigarette, the same cause as an 800 -acre fire in Berkeley and Manchester townships 12 days ago, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection said.

wasnt for them, the house woojd have definitely went. As of early last night, the fire was 75 percent contained and could be brought under control by this morning, said Maris Gabliks, fire warden (EffiMMiMS) a tmms tor the state roresi fire Service, SAVE 25 TO 55 25 TO 55 STORE! ON EVERY DTEM IN EVER DTEM IN EVERY which led the hrefighting effort. Six Flags keeping Chiller closed MJE Save $2,001. Special Quantities! Neo-classic 8 pc. traditional style dining room in cherry includes table, 6 chairs anrl rhlni flrin tC fVn extending "--6" an every carpet rug, eveiy every lamp, eve irror, mattress, eve.y v.

every window treatment bed a pverv living room, dming covenng, every uviB.m room, bedroom mes Sunday. It's now or wart a year! By ALLISON GARVEY YpMS RIVER BUREAU I JACKSON TOWNSHIP Batman and Robin: The Chiller, the new Six Flags Great Adventure roller coaster that closed shortly after it was unveiled, may remain closed for the rest of the season, park officials said yesterday. I "There are some inconsistencies with the acceleration systems that we want to address," said Deborah L. Israel, director of communications for the park. "We set the industry standard on this and we don't feel ready to roll if it's not going to roll right." I The ride is designed to launch passengers on two tracks from zero to about 65 mph in less than five seconds, turn them upside down, then rfght-side up, then around and up more than 20 stories in the air.

It then forces them bade down the same route backward. To achieve the rapid launch and to propel the cars through the ride, the coaster uses linear induction motors, dalled LIMs, along the track to generate a magnetic wave that pulls the passenger cars. Other coasters at the park use the conventional chain lift and gravity to propel a car through the ride. The LIMs, while not a new technology, are fairly new to the amusement ride industry. The ride closed in early June so crews could adjust the massive motors, but after they were ad-jBsted the quality of the ride was still "a little rough," said park President Vincent Lupinacci.

The inability to reopen the ride has had an impact on park attendance, Lupinacci said. Good weather has i Plus! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TIL NEXT SUMMER! that's NO BWMENT DIWEKE FOK OWE FULL. YEAK! (or take an additional discount for cash) Save $176. brought attendance back to 1996 lev els despite several rainy spring week Action's classic Queen Anne style recliner shown in a rich green flamestitch pattern, but available in 2 additional colors at the same price. Orig.

$525. sale $349. ends but the numbers have not been as good as they would have been with a- new roller coaster to draw visitors, Save $500. he said. Save $1,086.

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$1,149., though we've tabled a lot of our Chiller-oriented advertising because it wasn't running there are still people who come here that didn't know it was closed," said Israel, who said she and park officials are just as unhappy about the delay as are visitors to the park. Israel said the ride could reopen toward the end of the season in the fall but it is more likely it won't reopen until the beginning of next season. "The ride is not running up to performance standards and that is not what you want when you want to have something around for a long time," sie said. "We hope to have this ride fSr 20 to 25 years and we want to get itight and do it right every time." 1 Crews have already modified the rjde, improving padding on the bars that keep people in their seats and installing hand bars so it is easier to get into and out of the seats, she said. Although it is not a roller coaster, a new park attraction opening this Weekend may partially satisfy visitors' need for excitement, Israel said.

2 Daredevil Dive, a new attraction known in the industry as a Skycoas-ter, is a 175-foot arch from which people dangle on cables and "fly" through the air at 60 mph, swinging as though ling stomach-down on a backyard saving. Patrons wear full-body flight suits connected to cables and are lifted into the air, Israel said. They then pull a rip cord and find themselves swooping back and forth very fast. in the ride is not included in park admission, Israel said. Prices range from $15 to $25 per person, depending on how many people go on the attraction at one time, and three people may ride at one time.

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Use a Huffman Koos Gold Card, Visa, Mastercard. American Express or NOVUSDiscoverCard. Sale ends 8397. There Is a delivery charge. Percentages reflect savings oft MSRP original and regular prices.

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